Golf tee



Jan. 9, 1934. H R. THOMPSON GOLF TEE Il I illlrlflllllllalll l 1 rl Filed June 23. 1931 Patented Jan. 9, 1934 UNITED STATES! hMZhYZ;

Application June 23, 1931.

3 Claims.

vIl) upright position for supporting a ball and when the ball has been struck with a club or the ball supporting member has been struck, the latter will fold down into the body wholly below the ground surface, to thereby provide a golf tee which cannot be dislodged from its position in the ground by a golf club used in driving the golf ball, even though the club should be swung so low as to touch the ground.

A further object is to provide a device of this kind in which the ball supporting member may be readily and easily grasped by the operator and moved to position for supporting the ball after the body is embedded in the ground; and

Further to provide spring actuated means for normally holding the ball supporting member in position above the ground and above the body; and

Further to provide simple and inexpensive means for adjusting the elevation of the ball 'supporting member relative to the body.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth,

13.5 pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the YA4,5 in the earth and supporting a golf ball as in use.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, it will be seen that my improved tee comprises two parts. The body portion is preferably made of sheet metal, and its lower end is sharpened at r, O 10 and formed with an earth penetrating point ll.

At one end there is a widened upright member 12, and at the upper end thereof is a finger notch 13. The end of the body opposite from the upright 12 is relatively narrow.

Between the walls of the narrow end of the Serial N o. 546,263

body, I have inserted a flat lower end 14 of the ball support, the upper end of which is rounded and formed with a cupped ball support 15.

1n the body 14 there is a slot 16 with notches 17 at one side. A pivot pin 18 is extended through ,6.10 the body and through the slot for adjustably pivoting the ball support. A pin 19 is provided for limiting the movement of the ball support in one direction.

Mounted within the wide end of the body is a 6,5 spring 20 so positioned that when the large endw of the ball support is forced down into the body, it will engage the spring and the spring will then move a portion of it upwardly above the body, so it may be easily grasped by an operator. n 1

In practical use the pointed end l1 of the tee is placed on the ground with the ball support folded within the body. Then the operator presses his foot upon the body and embeds it in the ground flush with or below the level of the ground. Then the cup shaped ball support is grasped by the operator either because it is projected up above the body slightly by the spring 20, or if no spring is used, the operator may insert a linger through the nger notch 13. Their. ball retainer is held in an upright position by the pin 19 and it may be adjusted as to height by simply moving it to position with the pin 18 in any one of the notches 17.

It sometimes happens that when a player?` strikes at a golf ball the club will hit below the ball and even upon the ground surface. In the event that either of these things happens, with my improved tee the result will be that the ballmgo support will be driven to its folded position with-1w in the body, and the body will not be dislodged from the ground.

After use, the operator simply grasps the ball support and uses it as a handle to withdraw the body from the ground.

I claim as my invention:

l. An improved golf tee comprising a body portion sharpened at its lower edge and having side walls slightly spaced apart for easy earth penetration, and having an enlarged cup shaped por-in tion near one end, and a golf ball supporting member having a iiat body portion inserted between the said side walls and pivotally supported therein and having an enlarged cup shaped end, said golf ball supporting member being capable cfg standing in an upright position within said body portion and also capable of being moved to a hori- Zontal position wholly contained within the body portion, and means for adjustably pivotally sup-` ,1 10

porting the golf ball holder in Various positions of elevation above the body portion.

2. An improved golf tee comprising a body portion sharpened at its lower edge and having side walls slightly spaced apart for easy earth penetration, and having an enlarged cup shaped portion near one end, and a golf ball supporting member having a at body portion inserted between -the said side walls and pivotally supported therein and having an enlarged cup shaped end, said golf ball supporting member being capable of standing in an upright position Within said body portion and also capable of being moved to a horizontal position wholly contained within the body portion, and a spring for normally holding the cup shaped portion of the golf ball holder above the edges of the side walls of the said body portion, for the purposes stated.

3. An improved golf tee comprisinga body portion formed of two side walls and an end Wall, the side Walls and the end Wall being tapered at their lower ends for easy earth penetration, the said end Wall being substantially upright, and the side Walls adjacent said end wall being ared outwardly at their upper edges to form a cup shaped recess, and the said side walls at the end Aopposite from the upright end Wall being slightly HOWARD RUSSELL THOMPSON.

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